Month: September 2018

Dark, Tragic, & Spine-Tinglingly Terrific: Halloween Book Recommendations from the God of the Underworld | Author Guest Post

Posted September 29, 2018 by Jana in Guest Post / 0 Comments

Magic, Myth, & Mischief, hosted by me and Bonnie, is a month-long event that celebrates fairy tales and mythological retellings, as well as retellings of favorite classic novels and books featuring mythical beasts such as mermaids, dragons, and fae! Find the schedule of events and other information here.

Today I’m welcoming Laure Holt, author of Fathoms Above, to the blog to present spooky book recommendations from Hades himself!


“Dark, Tragic, and Spine-Tinglingly Terrific”
Halloween Book Recommendations from the God of the Underworld

Ever wonder what the god of the Underworld does in his spare time? Well, when he’s not stealing souls, entertaining himself with trivial mortal pursuits, or trekking through spooky forests, ghoulish ruins, hidden underwater halls, and haunted trains in an effort to break a curse, he relishes nothing more than sitting quietly with a wicked read like these. (Curled up on a throne that’s as black as his dark little heart in front of a hearth of blazing hellfire, of course.)

Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco

Hades has been around for a long time (like several million years). So, a historical retelling written in haunting prose that centers around creepy character Houdini, the famous escape artist, is right up his alley. Especially when the main character’s love interest has his own brand of dark, sardonic wit. In Hades’s opinion, if this book doesn’t get you in the mood for Halloween, he doesn’t know what will!

Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

Any book that has the word “dark” in the title makes it onto Hades’s tbr, and this next book in the Three Dark Crowns series is no exception. He is especially intrigued with the fact that Kendare Blake got the idea for this story from observing how all the queens but one in a bee colony are killed. Talk about freaky fabulous! The god of death can’t wait to see which queen comes out on top, though, if truth be told, he’s rooting for Katharine. Using the powers of dead queens and poisoning are, in his opinion, the best way to run a kingdom.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein and Bright We Burn by Kiersten White

From the vampiric hills of Transylvania to the lightning-struck tower of Victor Frankenstein, one look at the spookerific covers of Kierstin White’s latest masterpieces, and Hades was hooked. He is a secret sucker for shiny things (though he likes to blame his collection of bobbles on his raven harbingers). Still, even Persephone had to admit that these books looked pretty good on the shelf next to all of his human skulls and glowing soul jars.

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

It should come as no surprise that Hades’s favorite holiday is Halloween. Not only is he death personified (though please don’t expect him to show up on your doorstep in a black hooded cloak carrying a scythe. That look is so nineties.) But when you live in an underground castle in the land of the dead guarded by a small army of mythical nasties, you’ve already won the house decorating contest. At that point, all you can do is embrace the inherent darkness. And Shea Ernshaw’s debut book, with witches, spooky magic, small town legends, and curses, sounds chock full of chills and thrills. Needless to say, Hades is super excited to give this one a try!


Fathoms Between by Laura Holt
Series: Star Crossed #3
Self-published on October 2, 2018
GoodreadsAmazon

It worked.

Cather Stevens thwarted the curse of star-crossed love that has plagued the women in her family for centuries. All it took was a marriage to Peter Ganis, the last living descendant of Pyramus’s bloodline, whose sway over her grows stronger with each passing day. The pieces of Thisbe’s soul are still out there, though. To erase the curse, Cather must travel to Greece’s most mythological places and track each one down with the help of her husband and Hermes, the Book Keeper and Messenger of the gods, who still holds a piece of her heart that neither is willing to give up.

But when an unexpected tragedy befalls Peter, Cather is forced to put her trust in none other than Hades, god of the Underworld and Zeus’s biggest rival. With magical assassins on their tail and danger lurking around every corner, they must work together to reunite the soul pieces before Ares, god of War, who was sent to Earth to stop them, destroys them and dooms Cather, her family, and both the men she loves forever.


About Laura Holt

Laura Holt is from a small Georgia town, where she lives with her daughter. Growing up as the oldest of three sisters, Laura used her imagination to make up stories as a way to escape from the sometimes crazy-making monotony of everyday life. As she got older, her love of stories grew into a love of books, especially fantasy, and eventually, she wrote her own stories down as well. When Laura isn’t busy writing or thinking up a new way to promote the Star Crossed series, she can be found curled up on the couch reading, working out, or spending time with her daughter. A few of their favorite pastimes include watching shows like Merlin on Netflix, shopping, and going treasure hunting. Laura is also active in the children’s ministry at her local church, is addicted to Pinterest, loves anything chocolate (as long as it doesn’t have soy in it), and is always looking for a new way to get her daily adrenaline fix.

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Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton | Book Review

Posted September 27, 2018 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 4 Comments

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton | Book ReviewRebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Series: Rebel of the Sands #1
Published by Viking Children's Books on March 8, 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

Simply put, I loved everything about Rebel of the Sands, from the beautiful cover to the amazingly fitting title to the words inside. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. THE COVER. Moving on.

2. The story is this awesome middle eastern, wild west, Aladdin, mystic conglomeration with magic and mythical horses and sand and a sultan and a secret world of magical and powerful beings. It’s just so unique and exciting. It grabbed me from the first page.

3. The world feels both modern and historic. There’s djinni and ghouls and traversing the desert by horse, but there’s also modern technology like gun factories and trains. This hybrid of various world building elements felt very fresh. So often we see fantasies pulling elements from fairytales or other tried and true fantasy novels, but Rebel of the Sands feels very original and authentic.

4. Amani is a wonderful heroine. She’s smart, sassy, and filled with quick wit and the perfect amount of paranoia to make her someone you can really get behind, rather than a dumb damsel in distress. There’s no Bella complex going on here. I really love heroines that start out at rock bottom because they have nothing to lose and make quick decisions that have the power to change their lives. That’s Amani. When we meet her, her life is the epitome of misery. She’s an orphan living with her uncle who might force her to marry him, and she’s scrimping and saving so she can escape before it’s too late. You’d think she’d be submissive and quiet living under these circumstances, but she has this fire and will not be forced to do anything she doesn’t want to do.

5. Jin is so perfect. He’s so mysterious and caring and he gave me the swoons. I loved the chemistry between him and Amani because there’s this intrigue underneath a strongly developing friendship. They look out for each other and have some of the sweetest moments.

6. This book isn’t really romancey, and I liked that a lot. So often the world and the important details sit in the back seat while the romance drives the entire story. There are hints of romance, and those hang out in the trunk. Or the luggage rack. This story is about so much more than a possible romance. However, that’s not to say things won’t get swoonier in the next book.

7. The secondary characters are just as perfect. Alwyn’s debut taught me that if she’s going to write in a detail she’s going to flesh it out. Every thing, person, and event is in this book for an important reason. There’s no filler here.

8. I can’t say anything bad about this book. I loved the writing, the details, the imagery. everything. I can’t wait for book 2!

Basically, you should read this. I mean, you have to at least be a LITTLE curious to see how an author can successfully combine the Wild West and the Middle East right? I highly recommend Rebel of the Sands.

This review was originally posted on May 13, 2016.


Author Interview With Mila Young | Apollo Is Mine Blog Tour (+ Giveaway)

Posted September 26, 2018 by Jana in Author Interview, Blog Tour, Giveaway / 1 Comment

Author Interview With Mila Young | Apollo Is Mine Blog Tour (+ Giveaway)

Welcome to my stop along the blog tour for Mila Young’s Apollo Is Mine (book #1 in the Harem of the Gods series), hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Pardon the late arrival of this post. We had a gmail mishap, and I only just received Mila’s interview today.

I’m excited to have Mila stop by the blog today and participate in this month’s Magic, Myth, & Mischief interview series!


Interview With Mila Young

What makes your book magical, mythical, and/or mischievous?
A reviewer recently described Apollo Is Mine as Shadowhunter meets sexy Greek gods with lots of steam! Elyse, the heroine comes from a long lineage of hunters who have been blessed by Zeus to fight mythical creatures that come to Earth to kill humans. They are the last line of defense, except Elyse is the last of her kind, and even supernatural abilities may not be enough when Hades arrives in town with Death right on his heels.

What magical power do you wish you had?
To control water… imagine all the good I could do on Earth :)

If you were a character in a fairy tale/myth, who would you be?
Ariel from Little Mermaid… I grew up loving this fairy tale and have wanted to be a mermaid for ever!! Haha

If you could live in any fairytale or mythical world, which one would you choose to live in and why?
Harry Potter world… of course :P

Dragons or unicorns?
Unicorns!!

Hans Christian Andersen, Grimms Brothers, or Disney?
Grimms Brothers… I grew up being told these kind of tales, hence my twisted imagination when it comes to tales :)

Which magical/mythical creatures do you love reading about in books?
Werewolves. Don’t know why but I watch everything and anything on them I can get my hands on .

What recipe would you use to create your own gingerbread house?
No idea if it would work, but I would love to make a gingerbread house out of snickerdoodles… drool!

Who are your favorite villains of lore?
Ursula

Would you rather be a hero or a villain?
Villain

Would you rather be locked up in a tower or a dungeon?
Tower

What elements of the (fairy tale/myth/retelling) did you use when incorporating the tale into your own novel?
I have written my own spin on Red Riding Hood, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid and Rapunzel :) They can be found here.

Which magical/mythical creatures exist in your books?
Oh I definitely have lots… from werewolves, to lion and dragon shifters, to gargoyles and genies, to Greek gods and death casters.


Apollo Is Mine by Mila Young
Series: Harem of The Gods #1
Self-published on September 18, 2018
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I’m a warrior. Cursed to fight monsters. Sworn to act as Zeus’ sword to protect mankind.

But I’d give it all up for one last kiss with the god who stole my heart…Apollo.

I never wanted to carry my family’s legacy. But blood ties cannot be broken, and I’ll keep the promise I made my father on his dying bed. Legendary monsters hunt in city streets of Chicago, and my job was to take down the worst.

I’ve trained with Heracles.

Been blessed with super human powers.

What I’ve never done is fallen in love—until Apollo crossed my path. But he isn’t the only god to catch my attention. Hades is here too, and with him comes a darkness that leaves behind a trail of human bodies. Heracles and my gut instinct urges me to destroy this creature, but each step brings me closer to the truth…

Darkness cannot win…or the Earth will tumble into chaos and I’ll lose the god I’ve come to love…Apollo is mine.

Apollo is Mine is book 1 in the Harem of the Gods reverse harem series.

Content Warning: Steamy love scenes, dominating alphas who protect their female, and plenty of sexy Greek gods who will leave you breathless.


About Mila Young

Bestselling Author, Mila Young tackles everything with the zeal and bravado of the fairytale heroes she grew up reading about. She slays monsters, real and imaginary, like there’s no tomorrow.

By day she rocks a keyboard as a marketing extraordinaire. At night she battles with her might pen-sword, creating fairytale retellings, and sexy ever after tales. In her spare time, she loves pretending she’s a mighty warrior, walks on the beach with her dogs, cuddling up with her cats, and devouring every fantasy tale she can get her pinkies on.

Mila’s Newsletter | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group

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Top Ten Books By My Favorite Authors I Still Need to Read

Posted September 24, 2018 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 22 Comments

This week’s topic is all about the authors you love and the books of theirs you still want to read. Some of my favorite authors have written books I’m actually not interested in, so I’m just going to mention the ones I’m really excited about. Hopefully I get the time to read these soon!

 

Sarah J. Maas

1. A Court of Wings and Ruin

Stephanie Perkins

2. Isla and the Happily Ever After

Christina Lauren

3. Dating You / Hating You

Kasie West

4. Lucky In Love


5. Love, Life, and the List

Tracey Garvis-Graves

6. White-Hot Hack

Tessa Dare

7. Any Duchess Will Do


8. One Dance With a Duke

Jodi Meadows

9. The Orphan Queen

Sarah Morgan

10. Sleepless In Manhattan

What should I read first?
Which books did you put on your list this week?


Firelight by Sophie Jordan | Book Review

Posted September 21, 2018 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 7 Comments

Firelight by Sophie Jordan | Book ReviewFirelight by Sophie Jordan
Series: Firelight #1
Also in this series: Hidden
Published by HarperTEEN on September 7, 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 323
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
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A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away;if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

The story of Jacinda and Will grabbed me from page one and had me reading long into a night I should have spent sleeping instead of reading. I’ve often wondered if my bookishness is detrimental to my health and personal well-being, but I digress! Back to the subject at hand… I’m having a hard time reviewing this book, and I’m not sure why. I’ve written a review probably 5 times already, and I’m still not happy with it. Maybe it’s because the story has a lot in common with other YA Paranormal romances out there. I’m not saying it’s not worth the read, I’m just not sure what I can say about it that’s new, other than the fact that we’re dealing with dragons. I’ll try!

Jacinda’s glowing orange skin and intricate wings are not all she has going for her. All Draki have a special talent. Some can breathe underwater, some can control human minds, and some can fly extremely fast. Jacinda breathes fire—a talent that was thought to have died out long ago before she was discovered. Thus, she is extremely valuable to pride. Things were planned out and set in motion for her to marry the Draki prince, Cassian, and create a ton of little fire-breathers just like herself. This unappealing future, mixed with her rebellious nature, mixed with the fact that she barely came home alive after being tracked and shot by a group of hunters prompted her mother to sneak Jacinda and her non-draki twin sister, Tamra, out of the pride and move to Arizona. Her mother chose Arizona because drakis can’t survive in such dry and barren conditions. Jacinda’s draki would eventually die off just like her mother’s, and they could live normal, safe lives as humans. Jacinda was not ok with this and did everything she could to keep her withering draki alive. Then, she saw Will—one of the hunters she encountered the night her mother forced them to flee. He was the one who stared into her draki eyes that night and let her go, leading his family of hunters away from her. They lock eyes in the hall at school, and an instant connection is made. He ignites the draki within her, and she captivates him for a reason he can’t quite figure out. Even though he’s the one who keeps her draki alive, she has to constantly fight her attraction to him (and resist his to her) and keep her distance. She can never let him know what she is without risking the lives of all those she holds dear. The hunters can never find out their best-kept secret—that draki can take on human form.

I really enjoyed this book! First off, how refreshing is it to finally have the girl be the paranormal one? Yes, there are a few mythical heroines out there, but we all know it’s usually the guy. It was fun to read how a girl deals with being different. Jacinda is SO driven by her emotions. She goes through highs and lows, and she’s always freaking out about everything. She’s not calm, cool, and collected like our mainstream paranormal heroes in other novels. I’m not saying she’s spastic and annoying. She certainly handled things better than I would have. I just enjoyed reading about her inner struggle rather than a guy’s, like I usually do.

This book moved really quickly! The tension built up fast, and I found myself trying to read faster than my brain could handle. There was no lollygagging in this book, and I really enjoyed that about it. I never got bored.

The romance between Will and Jacinda was believable, but maybe not for their age group. I never thought of them as high school juniors. They have a very mature relationship, which I was happy about, as I have a hard time enjoying the whiny teenage romances. Even though the romance did not seem realistic for their ages, the high school life was pretty real to me. I remember when I moved to a new high school, I struggled with fitting in. I was picked on. Jacinda went through the same motions I did, and I felt for her and could relate to how she was feeling. She was a total fish out of water, with only one friend who wasn’t even really a friend—more like a person to sit with and talk to. High school’s really hard, and Jacinda dealt with it.

Unfortunately, there were not a lot of characters to like in this book. There was an overabundance of villains: the alpha of her pride (who wanted her for selfish reasons), her mom (who lied to her frequently, and tried to kill off an important part of Jacinda), her sister (who should have tried to be more supportive of Jacinda’s situation), Will’s family (who were complete and total jerks to Will, and almost perverts towards Jacinda), the school bullies (who tried to make her life a living hell, and even attacked her). I’m not used to only liking the two main people. I guess the author chose to do this in order to emphasize the odds against Will and Jacinda, but I really wanted to like more people!

I loved that Jacinda was so true to herself, against all these odds. She didn’t just sit back and let her mother get what she wanted (a draki-free Jacinda). They argued and fought all the time. Her mom kept so many secrets from her, and then when she finally told Jacinda the truth, she wasn’t even nice about it. This woman is just not a good mother figure—and I found her character to be a bit hard to believe sometimes. I know she was trying to protect Jacinda, but she rarely ever showed any compassion, empathy, or even love.

For the most part, I enjoyed the writing style. Several reviewers have mentioned that the book was laced consistently with sentence fragments, which got rather annoying. I totally agree. This is definitely not a book for people looking for pristine literary writing. I had to re-read and re-think some of the passages, just because my mind was not following the choppy writing style. It helped to add to the suspense, but it detracted a bit from everything else. Other than that, the action scenes were done very well and the author’s descriptions left little to be desired. She gave me enough information to be able to picture everything in my mind, but not so much that my mind couldn’t take a few liberties and allow my creative juices to fill in the gaps.

Regardless of a few complaints, I loved the premise, the story, the character development of both Jacinda and Will, the fact that Jacinda is such a likeable heroine, the descriptive passages that painted pictures in my mind, the fast-paced storyline that kept my eyes glued to the pages into the wee hours of the morning, and the fact that now I think dragons are sexy.

This review was originally posted on February 22, 2012, and was re-posted for some extra love.